Rugby

14-man Lions smash Connacht to make history in Galway

What made the end result extra ridiculous was that Connacht hadn’t been overwhelmed by every other SA aspect in 9 earlier makes an attempt on the Sportsground.

The Lions stunningly turned the primary South African group to win a United Rugby Championship (URC) match towards Connacht in Galway, powering to an enormous 38-14 win regardless of being decreased to 14-men in the 16th minute of the match.

It was an incredible end result, after the Lions managed to rating first however then misplaced prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye due to a harmful deal with, but it surely appeared to impress them as a substitute as they ran in six tries to two for a superb win in the top.

ALSO READ: Lions prepared for powerful Connacht on the Sportsground

What made the end result extra ridiculous was the truth that Connacht hadn’t been overwhelmed by every other SA aspect in 9 earlier makes an attempt on the Sportsground which is normally a fortress for them.

Perfect begin

In the match the Lions received off to the right begin as they labored their method into the Connacht half, earlier than incomes a penalty and organising a lineout deep in their 22m.

From the lineout the Lions attacked, sending the ball all the way in which to the other aspect of the sector, earlier than coming again the place eighthman Francke Horn was discovered in area, permitting him to bump off a deal with and go over beneath the posts for the transformed rating and 7-0 lead after six minutes.

Four minutes later Connacht left wing Andrew Smith nearly embarrassed the Lions defence with a superb jinking run in the guests 22m, however as he appeared odds on to rating fullback Quan Horn made a improbable strive saving deal with that dislodged the ball as he went over.

Disaster then struck for the Lions in the 16th minute as Connacht took a fast faucet and finally scored by way of flank Cian Prendergast, transformed by flyhalf JJ Hanrahan to draw the scores levl.

But the ref requested the TMO to check out the hit of Ntlabakanye on flank Conor Oliver who took the faucet, with replays exhibiting it excessive and harmful, main to a purple card and a heavy double blow to the guests.

Despite being down to 14-men the Lions nonetheless appeared the extra harmful aspect and so they went forward in the 26th minute as they setup a lineout on the hosts 5m, and powered an enormous maul over for flank JC Pretorius to rating placing them 12-7 up.

The remainder of the half was scoreless, though the Lions thought that they had scored on halftime by way of scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba, just for it to be chalked off by the TMO due to interference in the build-up.

Intercept strive

A superb begin to the second half for the Lions noticed them transfer additional forward as left wing Edwill van der Merwe timed an intercept on the midway to perfection to run away and rating, with flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse changing for a 19-7 lead after 50 minutes.

Connacht hit straight again 4 minutes later as they attacked from a scrum deep in the Lions 22m, with the ball coming again round for Hanrahan to ghost over and rating, with him including the extras to make it 19-14.

An wonderful closing 20 minutes from the Lions then adopted as they appeared like they have been the group taking part in with an additional man as they ran in three extra gorgeous tries.

First from a scrum in Connacht’s 22m the Lions appeared out of concepts earlier than exterior centre Erich Cronje by way of an enormous dummy, stepped three gamers and ran over to rating an outstanding solo effort to transfer them 12 factors forward after 64 minutes.

Seven minutes later they successfully sealed the win as they attacked from a scrum in their very own half, going a method then again the opposite, with Pretorius making the break earlier than feeding Van Der Merwe, who offloaded to Horn to go over in the nook and make it 31-14.

With time nearly up the Lions then hit Connacht with one final sucker punch, once more attacking from a scrum in their very own half, by some means incomes the area with a person much less as Van Der Merwe sprinted away, earlier than passing to substitute scrumhalf Morne van den Berg to rating the transformed closing rating.

Scorers

Connacht: Tries – Cian Prendergast, JJ Hanrahan; Conversions – Hanrahan (2)

Lions: Tries – Francke Horn (2), JC Pretorius, Edwill van der Merwe, Erich Cronje, Morne van den Berg; Conversions – Jordan Hendrikse (4)


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